The Sonic fast food restaurant chain is reportedly planning a restaurant in Fredonia.
“Sonic submitted their site plan packet (this week). It’ll be on the Planning Board (agenda) for November,” said Charles LaBarbera, Fredonia’s chief code enforcement officer, at a Fredonia Board of Trustees workshop.
The site of the restaurant would be on Route 60, in what is now part of the parking lot for Lucky Lanes. It’s adjacent to a corridor that Brooks-TLC plans to use for Route 60 access to the new hospital it will build on nearby East Main Street.
“I don’t know how that will play into Sonic being there now,” LaBarbera said. Mayor Michael Ferguson replied, “The hospital is aware of Sonic’s plans.”
“It’s more of a takeout, there’s not going to be any sit down in there,” LaBarbera said.
If it happens, Sonic’s new branch would be the second recent addition from a national fast food chain to the Route 60 strip of businesses. A Popeye’s restaurant, to the north on Route 60 near the Thruway exit, is currently under construction. It’s reportedly slated to open around Thanksgiving. The framework of the building looks essentially complete, with finishing touches necessary before opening.
The Sonic chain is famous for sending out food with carhops on roller skates. Founded in Oklahoma in the 1950s, the chain has more than 3,500 restaurants across the U.S.
The company is just beginning to dip into Western New York. Sonics were opened in Buffalo and Cheektowaga a couple years ago. A third branch is coming to Niagara Falls.